Rushford President Named Board Chair of National Council

The following was submitted by Carol Vassar.

Jeffrey Walter, President and CEO of Rushford, has been appointed to a two-year term as Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council), the nation’s leading advocacy group for more than 2,000 behavioral health service providers.

“As board chair, I’m committed to securing Congressional passage of the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which is fundamental to assuring that all Americans have access to high quality, affordable behavioral healthcare,” said Walter.

“The National Council will continue to ensure that addictions and mental health service organizations are at the table wherever health care policy and funding decisions are being made,” he added.

Under Walter’s 30+ years of leadership, Rushford has grown from a substance use prevention facility to a system that provides a spectrum of services in behavioral health recovery, prevention, and community education.

“I seek to leverage my three decades of experience delivering addiction prevention and treatment services to further the National Council's advocacy efforts on behalf of those who seek to begin and sustain their recovery from substance use disorders,” Walter said.

Walter began his two-year term this week.

Rushford, a Hartford HealthCare partner, provides inpatient and outpatient substance abuse and mental health services to thousands of children, adolescents, adults and families each year. For more than 35 years, Rushford has been offering proven, individualized and compassionate care to its clients throughout Connecticut and beyond.